Where Do Raccoons Go During the Day?

Have you ever found your garbage cans knocked over and trash strewn across the yard? The trash pandas have been at their midnight antics again. Trash pandas (or raccoons, if you want to be formal) are notorious nighttime mischief-makers, raiding garbage cans and compost bins for an easy meal and making quite a mess along the way. Once the sun comes up, however, they make themselves scarce. So, where do raccoons go during the day? Let’s take a look.

Where Are They Most Active?

Raccoons are nocturnal animals, meaning they are most active at night. You may see them out during dusk and dawn during the crepuscular hours, but they thrive in darkness. Raccoons have good night vision, which allows them to search for food even in low light. The dark also helps them evade predators and allows them to blend in with their surroundings.

Do Raccoons Come Out During Daylight?

Just because raccoons are nocturnal does not mean they are never active during the day. Raccoons often come out during the day to hunt for food, particularly during baby season. When a mother raccoon has young, she stays with them during the night to protect them from predators. Then, she tucks them away in the den for the day and ventures out to find food for herself, knowing her babies are sleeping safely and well hidden.

Raccoons may also come out during the day if they have been startled from their daytime hiding spot or den site and need to move to another one. They will also adjust their waking hours if there is a particularly good food source that is only available at certain times.

While many people think a raccoon that is alert and active during the day is sick, there are many reasons these animals come out while the sun is still high. It does not necessarily mean there is anything wrong with it. However, raccoons that show signs of disorientation, are walking in circles, or are too bold in approaching people may have issues. If you find a raccoon acting like this, keep your distance and contact a local wildlife rehabilitator for advice.

Where Do Raccoons Sleep?

Assuming a raccoon isn’t out foraging or switching den sites, where do they go during the day? During daylight hours, raccoons hunker down in their covered dens to sleep.

Raccoons aren’t overly picky about where they make their dens. These dens are often found in hollow logs, tree hollows, under sheds or abandoned buildings, or in burrows made by other animals such as woodchucks. They will also make a lovely den inside an attic, chimney, storm drain, or unsecured garage or barn.

Thanks to their human-like hands, raccoons are amazingly good climbers. They can easily scale a building to reach den sites high off of the ground. These lofty dens also provide them with more protection from threats. This makes quiet, warm, dark places like attics and crawl spaces an attractive option for dens. To prevent raccoons from denning in your home, ensure that there are no entry points. Cap chimneys and make sure that soffit and siding are firmly affixed.

Raccoons usually have multiple den sites and may have up to five or six in one square mile. This gives them options if a den site is compromised or can’t be used. It also allows them to move around to different home bases to avoid predators or other threats. So, if you see a raccoon out during the day, keep in mind she may just be relocating to more comfortable accommodations.